Cafe Du Monde New Orleans

This post will give you information on how to visit cafe du monde, including popular menu items, best times to visit, and a bit of history.

plan your visit
beignets and other menu items
nearby attractions
other places for fritters
13 nola foods you must try
free walking tours

plan your visit

Reading: How much are beignets at cafe du monde

This post focuses on the original location of Cafe du Monde, but you could enjoy their coffee and fritters at a few locations in New Orleans.

locations

Currently there are 4 coffee shops in the world in or around downtown new orleans.

jackson square
city park
river walk
armstrong airport

click the location you want to visit for further directions.

jackson square, french quarter

This historic restaurant is located in the heart of the French Quarter, just across the street from Jackson Square at 800 Decatur Street.

use this map to get specific directions to cafe du monde.

Due to its central position in the heart of the French Quarter, the café du monde is easy to find no matter how you plan to visit.

many people will choose to walk. You can even walk here with us on our French Quarter Food History Tour or French Quarter Audio Tour.

In fact, several of our pay-what-you-wish walking tours start from the other side of Jackson Square, making Cafe du Monde a logical place to grab a snack and coffee before your tour. .

If you’re considering a hop-on, hop-off bus tour, keep in mind that there’s a stop just steps from this café du monde location.

If you take the local bus service, you’ll find nearby stops at decatur & st. pedro or decatur & dumaine which service lines #5 and #55.

Visitors planning to take the tram will want to take the #2 (riverfront line) to Dumaine Station. this stop is a 2-3 minute walk from cafe du monde.

city park

this is another place where you can find cafe du monde as they have a shop in the park near the new orleans museum of art at 56 dreyfous drive.

use this map for specific directions to cafe du monde city park.

There are many things to see and do in the city park, so it really is the perfect place for a world cafe.

If you ever need a snack while strolling through the park, head to this place.

Whether you want to visit Carousel Gardens, New Orleans Botanical Gardens, City Putt Golf Course, or a myriad of other popular attractions in the area, there is plenty to see and do in the area.

You can learn more about all these fun things to do and more in our post covering New Orleans City Park.

river walk

If you’re walking near the river in the French Quarter, chances are you’ll find yourself on the River Walk.

While Jackson Square’s location is also near the water, this site is a little further south, close to other notable and popular attractions.

use this map for specific directions to riverwalk cafe du monde.

This cafe du monde location is close to many notable sites, including the Audubon Aquarium, Harrah’s Casino, Woldenberg Park, and Mardi Gras World.

if you plan to take the creole queen river cruise by paddleboat, this location is also very close to where the boat departs.

armstrong airport

That’s right, technically you don’t even need to leave the airport to visit a cafe du monde!

If you can’t wait to get to the French Quarter, consider heading to this location.

use this map for specific directions to armstrong airport cafe du monde.

you will find the armstrong airport world cafe in the main terminal across from the concourse leading to all gates b.

ironically, there’s a starbucks just 2 doors down from this location, and they’re also right next door to a king of milkshakes.

best times to visit

The most important thing to know about visiting cafe du monde is that they almost never close.

This restaurant is open 24 hours a day and they only close one day of the year: Christmas.

That said, there will be times when this cafe is a little busier than usual.

If you want to avoid the crowds, consider a visit very early in the morning or later in the evening.

in fact, eating donuts at cafe du monde is one of our top suggestions for nighttime activities in nola.

cafe du monde gets a lot of work from 9am. m. at 9 p.m. m., so you may have to wait a bit to place an order.

Make your trip between the hours of 6 am – 9 am or 9 pm – 12 am for a more relaxed experience.

In addition to these factors, you may want to consider visiting on a weekday instead of a weekend.

Due to the history and notoriety of the café du monde, there are many more customers on Saturday and Sunday than on Monday through Friday.

Even if you decide to come here on a weekend, you can expect the busiest times to be from 9am to 5pm. m. to 9 p.m. m..

No matter when you plan to see this restaurant, be sure to visit sooner or later for a quieter night out.

what to expect

Although locals note that the lines at cafe du monde can be quite long, they also point out that there are plenty of seats and it probably won’t take long to get your order.

Even if you decide to come during the day, chances are you won’t have to wait long in line.

If you plan to come just for the food, make sure you set aside at least 15-30 minutes to see the cafe du monde.

Depending on when you visit, there’s a good chance your experience at this restaurant will be as short as 5-10 minutes.

Alternatively, visitors who want to take their time and experience the history of this place can spend up to an hour in the café.

Their menu includes fritters, coffee, and a variety of other beverages. be sure to read our menu section for more information.

In addition to the food, you can also get gift packages, t-shirts, souvenir mugs and other souvenirs.

Best of all, you can take some beignet mix home with you and try to recreate their famous treats!

If you’re in a hurry, stop by their takeout window. This window is located behind the main building, facing the Moonwalk Riverfront Park and the Mississippi River.

While you won’t get the full experience of seeing the historic cafe, you can grab a quick bite and get on with your day.

menu items

cafe du monde tends to keep things simple when it comes to their menu.

Instead of offering a plethora of different foods, they focus primarily on two menu items: coffee and fritters.

fritters

These fried cakes are very similar to donuts, but there are a few differences between the two delicacies.

While a donut is usually frozen and eaten cold, donuts (particularly those found in New Orleans) are covered in powdered sugar and eaten hot.

cafe du monde serves some of new orleans most popular fritters.

A plate of three is served for less than $3, making it one of the most affordable delicacies you’ll find in the French Quarter.

It goes without saying that cafe du monde is at the top of our list of the best beignets in new orleans.

If you’re planning on taking a tour of the French Quarter, it’s worth noting that take walks offers two tours that include a free beignet from cafe du monde.

secrets of the french quarter tour
new orleans in a day tour

coffee

unlike all modern cafes that sell different flavors and variations of the drink, cafe du monde offers only two types of coffee: cafe con leche and coffee black + chicory.

both are also available decaf, but no other variants are offered at this cafe.

If you’re wondering about chicory, you wouldn’t be the first.

Historically, this plant has been used to stretch coffee supplies, but Cafe du Monde keeps it on the menu as part of its tradition.

Although there is no caffeine in the plant, it produces a taste similar to coffee.

Tip: They serve iced coffee variants of both white coffee and black coffee + chicory. this could be a great option during hot summer days.

other drinks

If you’re not a coffee fanatic, you’ll be happy to know that cafe du monde also sells a few other beverages. their only other hot drink is hot chocolate, and it’s the same price as their coffee.

Alternatively, you can also get orange juice, cold milk, bottled water, coke, diet coke or sprite.

many visitors have suggested that their hot chocolate is absolutely amazing. some customers have even gone so far as to say that this menu item is better than their fritters.

sadly, there’s nothing particularly special about any of the other drinks you can get.

Tip: If you come during the winter, consider having a hot chocolate and some hot beignets at the cafe du monde to keep you warm.

nearby attractions

one of the reasons for the popularity of cafe du monde is its proximity to many historical sites in new orleans.

Not only is this cafe right off the boardwalk, but it’s also within walking distance of several highlights.

If you’re in the area, you may want to stop at some of these attractions.

jackson square

As we mentioned in the how to get there section, the cafe du monde is located right across the street from this historic site.

the monument in the center was placed not only in honor of andrew jackson but also with his help.

For more information, be sure to read our Jackson Square post.

tip: If you want to avoid the crowds at cafe du monde and visit at night, you might also consider keeping an eye out for the cats that often populate this park after dark!

st. louis cathedral

You’ll find this historic spot just north of Jackson Square.

This is one of the oldest Catholic cathedrals in the United States and continues to provide services to this day.

the tour is free, but you can get a self-guided tour for $1 and learn a little more about the role of st. louis cathedral in new orleans history.

For more details, be sure to read our post on st. louis cathedral.

the council

located to the left of st. louis cathedral, this building is steeped in history. the town hall the place where the louisiana purchase was signed.

nearly 100 years later, it would also become the site of the louisiana supreme court’s landmark plessy v ferguson decision.

Today the building is used as a museum housing several interesting and historically relevant exhibits.

If you want to know more, check out our post about the council.

the presbyter

found across the street. louis cathedral, this building was designed to look almost exactly like the chapter house.

the chancel is also a museum, but they have exhibits that focus on different aspects of new orleans history.

Two of his most popular galleries are on the history of Mardi Gras and Hurricane Katrina.

Consider reading our Presbytery publication for additional information.

the French market

If you head a few blocks northeast of the Cafe du Monde, you’ll no doubt come across the gilded statue of Joan of Arc that stands in the middle of the historic French Market.

In addition to the local restaurants, there are also a variety of shops selling things like fruit, souvenirs, and even works of art.

Visitors looking for more attractions in the area may also want to check out Dutch Alley.

For a deeper look at the area, consider our self-guided market tour.

Read our full post on the French market for more details.

new orleans jazz museum

You’ll find this incredible landmark on the northern edge of the French market.

located within the old u.s. mint, this building has since been used as a museum of jazz history in new orleans.

Today, they house several notable instruments, sheet music, and other artifacts from throughout the history of this genre.

As if that wasn’t enough, they also offer free concerts on the third floor every Tuesday!

if you want to know more, be sure to read our post about the new orleans museum of jazz.

world coffee history

This coffee stand first opened in 1862, making it one of the oldest coffee houses in US history.

As if that wasn’t remarkable enough, it’s also housed in one of the oldest buildings on the French market.

the story of this cafe is the story of new orleans. the cafe became popular enough to support such a business because of all the French immigrants who had moved into the area.

Due to a shortage of coffee, the Creoles made the mixture from chicory (still used to this day) to stretch their supplies.

Acadians brought the recipe for their beloved beignet with them when they were deported to the colonies in the 18th century.

The fritters made at the café du monde are very similar to those made popular by this vibrant new culture that would eventually become known as Cajun.

for more details on this food, check out our list of the best fritters in new orleans.

café du monde is all about tradition. in honor of that, they have kept their menu more or less unchanged for several generations.

buñuelos are the only food served and you will only find two different types of coffee in the restaurant.